Teddie Renollet
Where do I begin? Sometimes the Lord shines on and through people in a special way. I believe Teddie must have got a double dose of the Lord's illumination. The verse that refers to the Apostle Paul pouring himself out like a drink offering reminds me of Teddie. I've never met anyone like him in my life: someone who truly gives of himself every day and every way.
How did we meet? In the summer of 1996, I had been on a 5-month regiment of visiting a new church every week. This became necessary after we had a devastating experience in our former place of worship. I was beginning to feel cynical and spiritually dry after experiencing so many things contrary to the Word of God in professed "churches". My hope was waning and I didn't know if my family and I would ever find a suitable church. I saw a little non-denominational church near my neighborhood called Oak Hill Chapel that aroused my interest but unfortunately, I wasn't able to get an answer whenever I tried to contact them (I later found out they were between secretaries at that time). I simply wasn't brave enough to pop in a non-denominational church without first getting a foretaste of what was in store. So I visited a few other churches and just when I felt like I was about to dry up, I decided to try to contact Oak Hill Chapel again. I had an idea of trying to call them during the hours of their Wednesday night prayer meeting. I knew it was selfish to interrupt their prayer time but I was becoming desperate. The phone rang quite a few times before someone picked up. It was the voice of a child. I tried to explain to her what I was attempting to do and she told me the Pastor was her Grandpa. The young women took my number so her Grandpa could return my call. Later that night my phone rang. It was the Pastor calling from his car phone. I told him I was interested in finding out what kind of church this Oak Hill Chapel was and he warmly encouraged me to ask about anything that concerned me. I felt awkward asking him all the questions contained in my theological punch list when it was on his dime but since I finally had someone from this church to talk to, I decided to go for it. I lobbed my first question and Teddie took it from there. He definitely wasn't reading from a mission statement. I detected a godly passion and zeal in his voice. He wasn't just dispensing information about Oak Hill Chapel; Pastor Teddie was using that occasion to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ since he didn't know exactly where I was spiritually. I timidly asked him a few more questions and he unapologetically espoused the biblical responses I was longing to hear. The dim flame of hope in my heart began to burn a little brighter. Could it be this ministry was different from the cookie cutter operations I had to endure thus far? I truly hoped so but the cynicism in my heart would not allow me to get overly excited.
Allow me to put this experience in context. Before my wife and I left our former church, we decided on a plan that would shield us from making an impulsive decision. Our sensible plan was to visit all of the potential (Bible believing) churches we could find and eliminate or rank them by our criteria. Then we would revisit the ones that made the cut and see if we could sense if anything was askew. After the final round, we would make our decision. It sure sounded like a plan but after contacting about 50 different churches and visiting about 20 of them, we only encountered one church worthy of our consideration. Then Oak Hill Chapel came along. It was great in every area of importance! As the spiritual head of my household, I asked my wife if she would be willing to shelve our plan and return there the following week. I didn't have to twist her arm. My family was being fed spiritually and the cynicism in my heart was beginning to fade. Sometimes the Holy Spirit has to blow away the best-laid plans of men in order to get us in accord with God's plan. We decided to continue there but I still had some unreasonable doubts. It just seemed too good to be true and I kept waiting for the bubble to burst. Well, it's been over Seven years now and all is well. Oak Hill Chapel is still a healthy church.
I attribute a lot of the spiritual vitality to the leadership that Oak Hill Chapel has been blessed with. A Pastor named W. Carl Ketcherside preceded Teddie. Pastor Ketcherside (Picture) went home to be with the Lord in 1989 but not before writing prolifically. He has had over 35 books published of which about 30 are still available (in print). I never knew Pastor Ketcherside personally but from listening to recordings of his sermons and reading portions of his books, I had the feeling I was in the presence of a spiritual giant. I suspect that God used Pastor Ketcherside to shape Teddie into whom he is now. I also suspect that God used a brush with death to shape Teddie's character further. Teddie was a very successful self-employed businessman before God called him into the full time ministry. He and his wife Charlene were the victims of a home invasion robbery and attempted murder by a former employee. Teddie was shot and beat over the head with a metal pipe but God spared him! I can't help but think that the "second chance" God gave him has further molded Teddie into someone that God can use. Teddie also was the son of a Pastor. Teddie's father presided over a congregation that was riven by bad doctrine. Teddie experienced first hand the deleterious effect that cultic doctrine had on the flock and on his father. His father left the ministry despondent and developed a drinking problem. Teddie had to endure many years in both of these impossible situations. I believe the experience drove Teddie always to seek to "...Rightfully divide the word of truth..." and he consistently does just that. Incidentally, Teddie's father repented of his worldly ways and was restored in "...the faith once and for all delivered to the saints." before his homecoming. When I look at Teddie, I see a man uniquely prepared for godly service by a chain of events and tests. He's been tried by fire and found faithful. Hallelujah!
Teddie, or rather the Holy Spirit through Teddie is a large part of what presently defines Oak Hill Chapel's objectives and strengths. We have many other good men in leadership with different areas of giftedness. Oak Hill Chapel also has many godly women who, though they may not be part of the official leadership, lead others by example. I don't want to neglect or insult these dear ones by not mentioning them. Allow me to continue my attempt to explain the profound effect Teddie has had on my life. Before I met Teddie, he owned several gas station/auto repair businesses. When he decided to retire, he reaped a bountiful harvest when selling these businesses. If I were in the blessed position that Teddie now enjoys, I don't know if I would be able to exercise the self-discipline necessary to maintain his schedule. I'm afraid that God hasn't molded my character enough to be trusted with the riches and special temptations that come with them. I'd probably end up rationalizing that I had paid my dues and now it's time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. Praise God that His servant Teddie is a man of conviction and principle and God was able to add more talents to the one who stewarded of His talents wisely. I thought I knew a lot about Scripture before meeting Teddie but after getting to know him, I realize now where I really lack - the daily application of what I know to be right. Teddie spends every week living Scripture. He travels from his home in Fairview Heights, Illinois to the city of St. Louis where he serves at Oak Hill Chapel as our teaching Pastor. Every Sunday morning, he teaches a Sunday school class which is then followed by an expository message in the worship service; he also delivers a thoroughly researched expository message occasionally on Sunday evenings (when others aren't teaching). I would characterize his teaching as the meat, not the milk of the word. However, I would also say he breaks his great understanding of the Bible into easily understandable, bite size chunks. There is also a mid week prayer service/Bible study at Oak Hill Chapel. Teddie shares all the prayer requests he has accumulated since our last meeting; he also records all the current petitions we bring to him that evening. A typical night would include Teddie exegeting a Psalm before leading us in our prayer time and he later shows great restraint while overseeing a layperson lead interactive Bible study. I say restraint because he could easily add all his knowledge and "show up" whoever is teaching but he would rather encourage us (the next generation of leaders) in our efforts. In addition to his responsibilities at Oak Hill Chapel, a typical week might consist of visiting people in prison, hospitals, the widows in our congregation, giving godly counsel to the friends and families of people in our flock, performing a marriage ceremony or funeral service, helping someone with car problems, ETC., ETC. He's starting to slow the pace down a bit and understandably so since we'll celebrate his 70th birthday this week. I believe Teddie still does more than most Pastors do! Did I mention that he serves for the joy of it and doesn't receive financial or any other form of compensation by the church? It's enough to melt the heart of a once cynical person like me. If that weren't enough, he manages to remain humble despite all he has sacrificed for the Kingdom of God. Pastor Teddie has literally got on his knees, washed my feet in a basin of water and wiped them off with a towel. I was so moved, I nearly cried. I can now relate to how the Apostle Peter must have felt when Jesus insisted on washing his feet. It humbles both of the participants. I remember reading about some denominations that still practice "foot washing" and thinking they were missing the big picture and engaging in some legalistic ritual. Needless to say, I'm rethinking that conclusion now. If something is in the Bible, it's there for a reason. I won't be so quick to judge others in the future. I hope that no one thinks I'm comparing Teddie to Jesus for no one can compare to our Lord and Savior. We can only yield ourselves to His service in gratitude for the debt Christ paid for us and all of sinful mankind. Therefore, in the end, I can't praise Teddie nor should I. I can only thank the Lord that bought us on the cross and then brought us together. I'm so filled with thanksgiving because I can see the same pattern repeating itself again. God has used all the prior adversity in my life to conform me to His image and to bring me to a rich appreciation for others whom God already has chosen to conform to His image. I'm so thankful for Teddie and Oak Hill Chapel. I frequently feel the urge to ask God for many more years to grow under Pastor Teddie's teaching and example. In my heart, I know that God already numbered Pastor Teddie's days prior to the foundation of the world. I can only redeem the time we'll have together, pray that I receive whatever God wants to show me through my precious Pastor and for the grace to continue in his great example when God takes him home.I thank you God for blessing me with such a great Pastor. Thank you for blessing Teddie with such a good wife to support him in the work of ministry. Put your angels around him and his family Lord. Protect and bless them always. I ask that in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah!
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This page was last updated on Monday, January 3, 2005
